When Einstein called “fascists” those who have ruled Israel for 44 years...
From one war to another... While Ukraine almost instantly disappeared from the news feeds, to make way for Palestine, certain themes seem to stand out, to the point of taking on the appearance of constants in these disturbed moments of the history of humanity.
No Peace, I fear, will ever be possible as long as the West is incapable of looking reality in the face...
This article, published on August 31, 2021 by Yorgos Mitralias on the CADTM website, provides, it seems to me, some elements of insight likely to fuel useful reflections...
Journalist, Giorgos Mitralias is one of the founders and facilitators of the Greek Committee against Debt, member of the international CADTM network and of the Greek Campaign for Debt Audit.
(read the original on CADTM website)
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What would you say if the infamous racist and anti-Semitic Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban accused Einstein... of anti-Semitism? And also, Hannah Arendt? And also, the most emblematic of Holocaust writers, the Italian Primo Levi? Unthinkable and unimaginable? No. Not at all if we think that this is exactly what is happening now, and even on a global scale. And not by a single Orban but by several notorious racists and anti-Semites who, with the blessing of establishments of all kinds, stick the label of anti-Semite on their political adversaries - usually anti-fascists, anti-racists and... leftists - in order to destroy them!…
Here, it is not a question of a marginal and occasional affair but of a real war machine set up, over the last 3-4 years, by right-wing, far-right and even social-democratic circles which aim to defeat their progressive adversaries, real or supposed. Like for example, among several others, the British Jeremy Corbyn (whom they finally managed to make disappear), the French Jean-Luc Melenchon (who survived but severely traumatized), or the American - and Jewish - Bernie Sanders ( who resisted and put them to flight thanks to the very active support of the growing movement of young anti-Zionist Jews). In all these cases, all it takes is the slightest criticism addressed to the policies of the Israeli government or the slightest support for the Palestinian cause for a formal political-media attack to be launched against the "culprit", close to public lynching, with the accusation that he is... anti-Semitic! And as if all this were not enough, several right-wing governments in the EU but also in the federal states of the USA have recently taken a further step, by adopting laws which, in the name of the fight against anti-Semitism, prohibit and criminalize any criticism of the inhumane policies of Israeli -far-right- governments...
So, given that the only criterion for the definition of this "anti-Semitism" seems to be the positioning towards Israel and its governments, we arrive at the following tragicomic situation: That the various Netanyahus and their associates honor as "friends of 'Israel' and "strategic allies" of the Jewish State patent racists and anti-Semites like the rulers of Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, like the former president of the United States Donald Trump, the European right-wing extremists Salvini, Wilders , Dewinter or like the American Evangelists and so many others. And the irony is that at the same time are denounced as "anti-Semites" well-known anti-racists and anti-fascists who, often, have spent their lives fighting against anti-Semites like... the current "friends of Israel"!
This is why the "strategic ally" and great friend of Mr. Netanyahu and his political epigones, the Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban could very well denounce, and even have the Jew Albert Einstein tried for... anti-Semitism, because the latter dared to say and write the following "inconceivable" things, which were published in the New York Times 73 years ago:
Letter to the New York Times
New Palestinian Party
Menachem Begin's visit and the objectives of his political movement
To the editors of the New York Times
Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our time is the emergence, within the newly created State of Israel, of the "Freedom Party" (Tnuat Haherut), a political party that closely resembles, in its organization, its methods, its political philosophy and its social pretensions, to the Nazi and fascist political parties. It was created by members and sympathizers of the former Irgun Zvai Leumi, a chauvinistic, right-wing and terrorist organization in Palestine.
The current visit to the United States by Menachem BEGIN, leader of this party, obviously aims to create the impression that there is American support for his party in the next Israeli elections, and to strengthen political ties with American conservative Zionist elements. Several Americans of national reputation lent their names to support his visit. It is inconceivable that those fighting against fascism throughout the world, if well informed about Mr. Begin's political past and his ambitions, could add their names to the support of the movement he represents.
Before irreparable damage is caused by financial contributions, by public demonstrations of support for Begin, and by creating the impression in Palestine that much of America supports fascist elements in Israel, American public opinion must be informed about the past and the objectives of Mr. Begin and his movement.
What Mr. Begin's party says publicly hides its true character. Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real aspirations. It is in the light of his past actions that we can judge what we can expect him to do in the future.
Attack on an Arab village
A shocking example was given by what they did against the Arab village of Deir Yassin. This village, located away from main roads and surrounded by Jewish lands, took no part in the war and even fought Arab groups who intended to establish their base in this village. On April 9, according to the New York Times, terrorist groups attacked this peaceful village, which was in no way a military objective in this conflict, and killed most of its inhabitants (240 people, men, women and children). , and kept some of them alive, in order to parade them, as prisoners, in the streets of Jerusalem. Much of the Jewish community was horrified by this display and the Jewish Agency sent a telegram of apology to King Abdullah of the West Bank. However, the terrorists, far from regretting their action, took pride in this massacre, publicized it widely, and invited all foreign correspondents present in the country to see the piled up corpses and the damage caused to the village of Deir Yassin.
The Deir Yassin incident illustrates the character and actions of the Freedom Party.
Inside the Jewish Community, they preach a mixture of ultra-nationalism, religious mysticism and racial superiority. Like other fascist parties, they made a habit of breaking strikes and themselves exerted pressure to eliminate independent unions. In their enthusiasm, they proposed the creation of corporatist unions on the model of fascist Italy.
During recent years of sporadic violence against British interests, the IZL and STERN groups have ushered in a reign of terror within the Palestinian Jewish Community. Teachers were beaten for speaking out against them, and adults were shot because they did not allow their children to join them. It was through gangster methods, beatings, broken windows, numerous robberies, that the terrorists managed to intimidate the population and extort large sums of money from them. The members of the Freedom Party did not played no role in the creative events in Palestine. They recovered no land, built no settlements, and only weakened the activity of the Jewish defense. Their much-publicized immigration efforts have been insignificant and focused mainly on bringing their fascist compatriots to Palestine.
Discrepancies noted
The discrepancies between the bold claims now formulated by Begin and his party, and the history of their past actions in Palestine, bear the mark of a political party which is not like the others. This is the indisputable mark of a fascist party for which terrorism (against Jews, Arabs, as well as the British) and falsification are the means, and the "Dominant State", the goal.
In light of these considerations, it is imperative that the truth about Mr. Begin and his movement be known in this country. There is nothing more tragic than that the leadership of American Zionism has refused to campaign against Begin's efforts, or to expose to its own voters the dangers to Israel of supporting Begin.
Therefore, the undersigned are using this means to publicly present some salient facts regarding Mr. Begin and his party, and to urge everyone concerned not to support this latest manifestation of fascism.
Isidore ABRAMOWITZ, Hannah ARENDT, Abraham BRICK, Rabbi Jessurun CARDOZO, Albert EINSTEIN, Herman EISEN, M.D., Hayim FINEMAN, M. GALLEN, M.D., H.H. HARRIS, Zelig S. HARRIS, Sidney HOOK, Fred KARUSH, Bruria KAUFMAN, Irma L. LINDHEIM, Nachman MAISEL, Seymour MELMAN, Myer D. MENDELSON, M.D. Harry M. OSLINSKY, Samuel PITLICK, Fritz ROHRLICH, Louis P. ROCKER, Ruth SAGIS, Itzhak SANKOWSKY, I.J. SHOENBERG, Samuel SHUMAN, M. SINGER, Irma WOLFE, Stephan WOLF. New York, December 2, 1948
The great importance of this letter does not lie so much in the fact that figures like Einstein [1] and Hannah Arendt call Begin and his party "fascists", that is to say that they are doing something which today would be more enough for the media to label them with the infamous anti-Semitic stigma, and for several of the States of our United Europe to pursue them criminally. Most importantly, the warnings contained in this public letter have been fully confirmed over the past 40 years, and continue to be confirmed day after day in Israel, and throughout the Middle East, with tragic consequences. that we know.
Indeed, the "fascist" and "terrorist" Menachem Begin of 1948 is the same Begin who, 29 years later (1977), became Prime Minister of Israel! And he does it at the head of a new party, the Likud, which has as its constituent base his old party of "Freedom" (Herut), which Einstein and Arendt denounced in 1948 as "fascist"! But, the most important thing is that since then (1977), it is exactly this Likud which governs Israel, monopolizing power since the fratricidal confrontation - often very violent - within the Zionist movement, which lasted almost a century (! ), concluded with the total victory of Likud and the almost disappearance of the Labor party of the founders of the State of Israel…
But it is not just about Begin, founder and leader of the Irgun "terrorist" organization. His successor at the head of the Israeli government and the Likud Yitzhak Shamir distinguished himself at the head of - the even more right-wing and terrorist - split within the Irgun, the Stern organization, which, according to the open letter of Einstein and Arendt, together with Irgun "by gangster methods...inaugurated the reign of terror within the Jewish Community of Palestine"! A "reign of terror" that cost the lives of thousands of Palestinian Arabs and Jews…
And what about Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Likud Chairman Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu? Does he also come from the same "fascist" matrix that created Begin, Shamir and other far-right Israeli leaders? Although much younger among them, Netanyahu can display direct and even familial relationships with the most extremist and downright fascist - and later, splitting - tendencies of the already very right-wing "Revisionist" Zionism, inspired, founded and directed by Ze 'ev Jabotinsky a century ago. Indeed, the father of "Bibi", who served as Jabotinsky's secretary, followed Abba Ahimeir when the latter entered into conflict with Jabotinsky who rejected his proposal to become a... Jewish Mussolini at the head of a clearly fascist Zionist party [2]. Close collaborator of this fascist ideologue and theoretician, the father of "Bibi" directed the publications of Ahimeir's organization, which established fairly close links with Mussolini's fascist Italy but he never achieved the same thing with Nazi Germany although he did not hesitate to praise Hitler in 1933 !
Although he never had a large popular base, Ahimeir directly or indirectly influenced those who shaped present-day Israel. It was not just that his cult of the most brutal violence, his extreme nationalism and his racist theories permeated organizations like Menachem Begin's Irgun. This is because the founder of the Stern organization was its "spiritual child", as was also its military leader, the future Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Shamir. This is because Benzion Netanyahu, who was a "pupil" and close collaborator of Ahimeir, influenced his son Benyamin like no other. And perhaps not only his son but also his son's son, his infamous grandson Yair Netanyahu who is making headlines with his scandals, the anti-Semitic caricatures he publishes and his neofascist sympathies paid in return by the German neofascists and Americans who call him... "brother" and consider him their hero !
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This is why the warnings about the misfortunes that the "fascism" and "terrorism" of Begin and his party would cause, contained in the open letter of Albert Einstein and Hannah Arendt, remain extraordinarily relevant 73 years after its publication . And this is exactly because Begin's successors at the head of Likud and Israel are flesh of his flesh, continuators of his work, students of his own masters of thought, and custodians of the same ideological, political and organizational heritage, that everything they do today in Israel, in the Middle East and around the world, are neither products of improvisation nor occasional tricks. These are political choices which obey the "logic" of an extremely dangerous political current, the "Revisionist" current of the Zionist movement, which already has a centuries-old history behind it…
So, are they really surprising and unnatural, those "strategic alliances" and flirtation of Netanyahu and his friends with the international scum of sworn anti-communists and racists, who "coincidentally" are also sworn anti-Semites? No, not at all, since the first to practice these "unnatural alliances" was none other than the founder and theoretician of Zionist Revisionism Ze'ev Jabotinsky who, driven by his visceral hatred of the Russian Revolution, went as far as to conclude an alliance with the Ukrainian nationalist and anti-communist warlord Petliura, whose army had committed in 1917-1922...897 anti-Jewish pogroms during which at least 30,000 Ukrainian Jews were massacred! Moreover, the same pathological anti-communism pushed Jabotinsky's students and successors to flirt, if not occasionally conclude alliances, with Mussolini or even Hitler! And all this with a reasoning updated today by the infamous Yair, the offspring of "Bibi" Netanyahu, when he declared "I prefer neo-Nazis to the thugs of Antifa and Black Lives Matter"…
Obviously, the same is true of the cult of raw violence or the deep hatred of the Palestinians that Israeli leaders have harbored in recent decades. Once again, they are not inventing anything new, since they have only repeated the practices of the organizations for which they claim to be and for which they always declare themselves proud: the terrorist and fascist Betar, Irgun and Stern. However, there is an important difference between then and now: Yesterday, the Jabotinskys, Ahimeir, Begin and Shamir were not at all "presentable" and the international political establishment avoided their company, if not openly condemned them. In other words, they were disreputable...
Today things are very different. The infamous "fascists" and "terrorists" of 1948 have become not only completely presentable "friends" and allies, but also – and increasingly – privileged strategic partners of those who govern this world, and even of pylons of their empires ! And what's worse is that the "fascists" and "terrorists" of yesterday go so far as to impose their anti-democratic and authoritarian choices on most Western governments !
We therefore end this text as we began it. With Einstein and his warnings. A few days after the massacre of Deir Yassin, those who represented in the United States the organizations which had committed this massacre had the brilliant idea of contacting Einstein to ask for his support. The response from the great Jewish scholar, who unfortunately remains largely unknown, was almost laconic, just 50 words:
Mr. Shepard Rifkin, Executive Director
American Friends of the Israel Freedom Fighters
Dear Sir, When a real and final catastrophe surprises us in Palestine, the first responsible will be the British and the second will be the terrorist organizations born from our ranks. I don't want to see anyone associated with these people who are on the wrong track and are criminals.
Sincerely yours,
Albert Einstein
Unfortunately, everything shows that Einstein was right again. With the British having long been a distant memory, they are indeed the epigones of the "terrorist organizations" of 1948 which are inevitably leading Israel - which they govern - towards the "final catastrophe"! An Israel that may now be more powerful and arrogant than ever, but at the same time is going through its greatest existential crisis in its history, rotting and disintegrating from inside. The countdown has already begun and the moment of truth is approaching…
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[1] Einstein could have become President of Israel if he had accepted in November 1952 the proposal made to him by the founder of the State of Israel David Ben-Gurion to succeed Haim Weizmann who had just died, at the presidency of Israel.
[2] Jabotinsky was not a fascist, but Mussolini was of a different opinion when he declared in 1935 to the future chief rabbi of Rome Davide Prato: "For Zionism to succeed, you need a Jewish state, a Jewish flag and a Jewish language. The person who understands all this is your own fascist, Jabotinsky."
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